The inevitable has finally happened, Jose Mourinho has been sacked as Manchester United boss. It is something that we have all seen coming for a number of months now, although it is a little surprising to see Manchester United actually pull the trigger. The club are set to appoint a caretaker manager for the rest of the season, with Michael Carrick taking training for the next few days. He will be aided by Kieran McKenna, a relatively unknown figure to many fans of the club.
SKY SOURCES UPDATE: Michael Carrick will be acting as interim manager of Manchester United until a new temporary manager is appointed - an external appointment is expected within 48 hours. Carrick and Kieran McKenna will continue to take training in the meantime. #SSN pic.twitter.com/8XhT0YWACc
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 18, 2018
Who Is Kieran McKenna?
Kieran McKenna is a 32-year old Fermanagh native. He was a former youth player at Spurs, captaining their reserve side, as well as the Northern Ireland U21s.
After being forced to retire at the age of 22 due to a hip injury, he soon moved into coaching. Moving into a role in the Spurs academy, he was appointed the club's U18 boss in 2015.
In 2016, he was appointed as Manchester United U18 manager. The team were crowned Premier League North winners in his second season.
After Jose Mourinho's long-time assistant Rui Faria left the club in May of this year, McKenna was offered a promotion to the senior set-up. He would become one of Mourinho's first team coaches. He has been working closely with the first team in the intervening months, and is now set for an even bigger role in the coming days.
Michael Carrick will assume the top job at the club for the next few days, with McKenna acting as his right hand man. It is an excellent opportunity for the Enniskillen man, and could be the first step into a larger role at the club.
On the other hand, the appointment of a new manager often brings with it uncertainty for the coaching staff at a club who predated his arrival. Many managers prefer to bring their own coaching staff, especially those stepping into top jobs.
Either way, it seems as though Kieran McKenna has a very bright future in the game.
